Notre Dame’s decision will eventually reunite the Irish with Syracuse and Pittsburgh, which will be leaving the Big East after the upcoming 2012-13 season. Notre Dame must adhere to the Big East’s 27-month notice requirement, although the school is expected to negotiate an earlier exit.

Syracuse is not yet a voting member in the ACC, but ACC officials did seek Gross' input prior to admitting Notre Dame.

“Since we’ve been in the (ACC), we have been privy to discussions about a myriad of things,’’ Gross said. “We don’t have voting rights yet, which is fine, but they’ve been really good at wanting to hear our input. They’ve been so professional and so classy. (ACC commissioner John Swofford) has been outstanding. He’s an unbelievable communicator.’’

While Notre Dame was a member of the Big East, the Irish remained an independent in football. In joining the ACC, Notre Dame will retain its independent status in football; however, the Fighting Irish will play five football games per year against ACC schools.

“It’s a commitment we haven’t seen before,’’ Gross said.

In a televised press conference from the University of North Carolina’s Kenan Stadium, ACC commissioner John Swofford said getting a commitment from Notre Dame to play five games a year against ACC schools was significant. In the past, ACC officials had publicly balked at the notion of admitting a school that wasn’t “all-in’’ for all sports.

“In the end, I don’t know that it was tough, but it’s certainly significant,’’ Swofford said. “We’re in our 60th year as a conference. We’ve always been an all-in, if you will, membership. In recent years, we’ve discussed this. We’ve talked about crossing that threshold and took it very seriously in our discussions. I think that transition in thinking evolved over time.’’

The ACC wants Notre Dame to schedule games against ACC teams because those games will be televised nationally and Notre Dame can fill stadiums. From Notre Dame’s perspective, the five-game agreement solves the school’s increasing scheduling issues.

Syracuse already has four games against Notre Dame in the near future. In 2014 and 2016, Notre Dame will play Syracuse at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. In 2015 and 2017, Notre Dame will host Syracuse in South Bend, Ind. Those games are likely to count toward the 5-game agreement.

Since Syracuse and Pittsburgh announced their decision to join the ACC last September, speculation had swirled that some ACC schools, including Florida State and Miami, might consider a move to the Southeastern Conference. That possibility was likely put to rest on Wednesday. As the ACC voted to invite Notre Dame, the conference membership also agreed to raise the league’s exit fee from $20 million to $50 million. The increase takes effect immediately, according to Swofford.

“We never had that concern,’’ Gross said of joining a league that might soon lose schools to another conference. “That was all speculation from the outside. On the inside, you see the cooperation and collegiality. No one ever saw the league coming apart. People want to come to the league rather than leave.’’

The addition of Notre Dame immediately sparked speculation that the ACC’s expansion would continue. Schools such as Connecticut and Rutgers have been mentioned as possible candidates to bring the ACC’s membership to 16 schools.

Swofford dismissed the idea.

“There is no need to add a 16th team to the league and there’s no intention of doing so,’’ Swofford said. “We’ll be 15 members in basketball. We’re not in divisions in basketball. In football, we’ll be even with 14. If we bring a 16th team in, we’d be uneven in football.’’

Notre Dame president Rev. John Jenkins mentioned the similarities between Notre Dame and the ACC membership.

“It’s a conference that athletically as well as academically fits Notre Dame,’’ Jenkins said.

In the 2013 U.S. News & World Report’s survey of the country’s top colleges, 11 of the ACC’s 15 schools rank in the top 60. Syracuse is ranked 58th. No other BCS conference has more than six in the top 60.

Notre Dame’s move to the ACC continues the disintegration of the Big East. When Notre Dame joined the Big East in 1995, the Big East consisted of 13 schools. Now, five of those schools will soon be in the ACC – Syracuse, Pitt, Notre Dame, Boston College and Miami – with just seven remaining in the Big East – Georgetown, Villanova, St. John’s, Providence, Seton Hall, Rutgers and Connecticut. The 13th school; West Virginia, has left for the Big 12. Current ACC member Virginia Tech joined the Big East in 2000 and left in 2004.

“I don’t have a lot of comment there,’’ Gross said of the impact of Notre Dame’s departure from the Big East. “The Big East knows its business. We’re not on any Big East committees now. Obviously, we spent many years there. We wish them the best.’’